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Board suspends dentist's prescription privileges

By Katie Lannan, klannan@lowellsun.com

Updated:
03/23/2013 11:20:20 AM EDT

HUDSON, N.H. -- A local dentist has been temporarily prohibited from prescribing painkillers after a regulatory board determined his prescription practices constituted an "imminent threat" to health and safety.

The New Hampshire Board of Dental Examiners issued an emergency order Friday that suspends the privilege of Dr. Robert Christ to prescribe controlled substances, after an unannounced inspection of his office the previous week.

Christ, whose practice is at 50 Derry St., reportedly told inspectors that he suspected some of his patients were "drug seekers." The board wrote in its suspension order that a records review showed the frequency, quantity and dosage of controlled substances Christ prescribed for some patients were "excessive for the pain and treatments documented."

According to the order, Christ also said during the inspection that he used to routinely write narcotics prescriptions for patients who called during the weekend and said they could not make it into the office until the next week. The board said Christ stopped issuing such prescriptions when he realized some patients would not show to the follow-up appointment and were just looking for drugs.

In January, the board had received information that Christ may have been writing excessive prescriptions to a person working in his office.

The worker, who is not named in the order, was arrested after an investigation by State Police and charged with about 25 counts of drug diversion.

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Christ fired the employee and the board said there is no indication he was involved in the employee's alleged criminal conduct.

Christ's prescription privileges are suspended until the Board of Dental Examiners holds an adjudicatory hearing to determine if he engaged in professional misconduct.

According to the New Hampshire Attorney General's Office, the hearing is set for April 8.

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